We are an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the history, culture and true lives of Romani people worldwide.
We confront racism and oppression wherever we encounter it.
We try to make connections with all the "isms" that make up western culture.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

CZECH REPUBLIC

Romani activists write to Czech President and ask him to publicly help calm unrest

We are turning to you because we believe that just like us, you are following events and are aware of the mutually exacerbated relationships between people from the majority part of society and the Romani national minority in our country. The recent events in the Šluknov foothills are ample proof of the situation.

In that context, we must inform you that the members of Romani families are afraid of their fellow-citizens' behavior. Romani people who lived through the 1930s cannot help but compare those days to today's reality, and very often they evaluate their position today as worse. They cannot forget what Czech guards were capable of perpetrating in the Nazi concentration camps at Lety by Písek and Hodonín by Kunštát.

Esteemed Mr President, citizens are watching in disbelief how easily part of society can be manipulated by extremists and neo-Nazis into hunting down Romani families. It's obvious that someone from high political life must publicly call on the nation to restrain itself. Otherwise, these manifestations of intolerance will be repeated with even greater intensity in other parts of the republic.

Esteemed Mr President, you enjoy the honor and respect of the citizens. We believe that you have the opportunity and the power, in your position as head of state, to speak to all citizens irrespective of their origins. Please consider whether the time has come for you to make a public statement through which you can ameliorate the tension in society through the force of your personality. The citizens will certainly accept such a move from you with gratitude and understanding.

We too would appreciate and welcome the opportunity to meet with you. If you were to receive us, it could have a very positive impact not only on the tense situation of today, but on future developments for our society as a whole.

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FLAG OF THE ROMA

LOLO DIKLO : RrOMANI AGAINST RACISM

Lolo Diklo : Rromani Against Racism is an organization dedicated to providing information about the true situation of the Romani (Gypsies) in the world today. We are committed to confronting racism and oppression wherever it is found.

BACKGROUND

The Romani are a people who are not very well known. We are an ethnic group of people originally from India. We left India and arrived in Europe sometime in the 1300's. There are many theories as to why we left India. This is the work of academics, and we have some. Most Romani are more concerned about daily survival to worry about documentation of our past. We know who we are.

What is known about the Romani is, for the most part, stereotypically based. We are portrayed as romantic, carefree wonderers or child stealers, pick pockets and beggers.

Today the Romani of Europe face the same discrimination they have faced for centuries.